The Euro 2024 quarter-finals were characterised by indecisiveness, last-minute defending and frantic all-out attacks in the closing stages of matches. If you want quality football, the final hour of Spain v Germany was all you need. Here's a look at the good and bad from all four matches.
Germany 1 Spain 2
Strong Points: The two best teams in the tournament ultimately lived up to the expectations of a “final, two rounds too early” game, but it was due to premature substitutions. Dani Olmo A clever move gave Spain the lead in the 51st minute, as Germany stepped up at least two gears. Florian Wirths (Inexplicably left out of the starting lineup) The score was tied just before the end of the game. Joshua KimmichA brilliant headed assist from looked to have increased the home team's chances of progressing.
In extra time, both teams had good chances, but Mikel Merino (Three goals from three substitutes) Olmo's cross was headed in to send the game into a penalty shootout, but Niklas Fülkrug (Another substitute!) We almost tied the score in added time of extra time.
Low points: Germany's Toni Kroos He was playing the final game of his illustrious career but after receiving two yellow cards within the opening minutes of the match he could have easily been sent off. Anthony Taylor Despite Kroos' failure, Pedri He was sent off from the match, Taylor gave him the card as if it was commission, but didn't consult VAR during the second period of extra time. Jamal MusialaThe shot on goal was clearly a handball. Mark CucurellaMeanwhile, the gods of luck pointed out that Germany had two extremely lucky VAR decisions in their round of 16 match against Denmark.
France 0 Portugal 0 (France wins 5-3 on penalties)
Strong Points: none.
Low price: I expected this to be a tense, awful game, but it was much worse than that. The French Football Federation is probably paying Les Bleus to set a new record for most shots over the crossbar. They got to the semi-finals with two own goals and a penalty, which is an achievement in itself. Their strength is their excellent defense. Dayot Upamecano and Jules KoundéOn the other hand, Portugal Cristiano Ronaldowaved his arms at his teammates for two hours, missing the only chance they created for His Majesty the King, and in the shootout he strutted like a pouting prince when he scored a penalty, as if to say, “Now I show you!” But when France were defeated after scoring all five of their kicks (which showed us what they had been doing in training), the 41-year-old Pepe Ronaldo was in tears. He just stood there as if it wasn't his fault and as if he was determined to continue his national team career until the next World Cup.
Switzerland 1 England 1 (England wins 5-3 on penalties)
Strong Points: England's best player in the tournament Bukayo SakaHe saved his country from elimination with a brilliant shot 10 minutes from time and then converted a penalty in the subsequent shootout, but the biggest surprise was England's refusal to pass the penalty to their opponents. Jordan PickfordSaka was one of three black players to receive racist abuse after missing a penalty in the 2021 final against Italy. Two days before the match, an openly racist far-right party won 14.3% of the vote in the UK election. Several black French players, Koundé, Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Thuram — urging voters to vote against extremists National Assembly The European Championships have seen fans from across Europe mixing almost flawlessly as they cheer on their multi-ethnic teams, with the second round of national elections taking place today (Sunday).But the widespread resurgence of fascism – an ideology based on hatred, bigotry and violence – on the continent provides a deeply worrying backdrop to the joyous but false unity of Euro24.
Low points: England didn't play as badly as they had, but the match was still boring and had few highlights. Switzerland performed well, Ruben Vargas He was outstanding in five games but was substituted after an hour for reasons known only to his coach. Murat Yakin They will know, too. Like Slovakia in the last 16, they will wonder why they couldn't hold on to a lead against such lackluster opposition.
Netherlands 2 Türkiye 1
Strong Points: Strictly speaking, the final game of the quarterfinals was nothing for the purists. It was like a recreational game played by sugar-fed eight-year-olds chasing a rubber ball on a trampoline. There were at least 5,000 turnovers of the ball. But it was fast and exciting, driven by a crowd atmosphere that featured two of the tournament's rowdiest fans. After pressing high for more than an hour, Turkey's fierce passion and the intensity of their challenges seemed enough after they took the lead. Samet Akaidin A close-range header just before halftime. The arrival of the tall super-sub Wout Weghorst With Turkey tired, the Netherlands got back into the game. Stefan de Vrij They tied the score with 20 minutes left. Mert Maldur He didn't score an own goal while trying to block it. Cody Gakpo Had he scored the winner six minutes later, he would undoubtedly have been booked for a foul on a forward.
Low points: Turkey would be better off if the defender Meri Demiral Demiral was named MVP in the round of 16 win over Austria after scoring two goals, but was not suspended by UEFA for his unapologetic support for a radical ultranationalist political organisation shortly afterwards. Embarrassingly, he received a message of support from Germany's World Cup winners. Mesut OzilPresident of Türkiye Recep ErdoganHe flew to Berlin on short notice to watch the match, but this incident sparked a diplomatic dispute between Germany and Turkey. Incidentally, Turkey's starting line-up for the match against the Netherlands included four players with dual German and Turkish citizenship, and one player with a Dutch and Austrian passport. Football unites, politics divides.
Semi-finals
Spain v France (July 9th, 3pm ET) In-form Spain are the favorites. Mbappe has been wearing a face mask since breaking his nose in France's first game, but it's hard to believe that a talented team like France can continue to play so poorly. I'm optimistic that this will be one of the best games in history (it will be). Spain 3 France 2.
England v Netherlands (July 10th, 3pm ET) I'm not sure the same can be said about England, where the lack of vitality seems to be widespread and embodied by their captain. Harry Kanehas his mouth hanging open as if he is confused about football and waiting for someone to explain it to him. The Dutch are a bunch of bikers, but that's what makes them so likable. Prediction: England 1 Netherlands 2
